The Center research base is focused on five major themes: 1. Cellular and molecular biology of the hepatocyte. 2. Hepatic transport mechanisms. 3.. Hepatic metabolic functions. 4. Studies on splanchnic hemodynamics and 5. Clinical studies of hepatic disorders. Research activities of the Center are broad and range from fundamental studies of the biology of the hepatocyte to clinical therapeutic trials of immediate clinical relevance to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic human liver disease. The principal goals of the Center are to: 1) stimulate multidisciplinary activities. 2) to provide a rich training environment. 3) to foster National and International collaborations. 4) to officially organize time consuming, more costly techniques and procedures, and Core facilities for multiple investigator use. 5) to stimulate basic scientists to become involved in one or more of the Center's research interests. 6) to capitalize on important new research opportunities through pilot feasibility projects, and 7) to create an institutional environment that will greatly amplify progress and answer problems in this important area of Digestive Disease. To carry out these goals, the Center is organized into six core facilities of 1) Administrative Core, 2) Hepatocyte Isolation and Cell Culture Core, 3) Liver Vascular Perfusion Core, 4) Molecular Membrane Biology Core, 5) Morphology Core, and 6) Clinical Core.